DK Shivakumar being targeted by the BJP: Siddaramaiah

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Chairman Siddaramaiah alleged political vendetta by the BJP-led Union government against former minister D K Shivakumar.

Speaking to mediapersons at Mangaluru International Airport on Saturday, he said Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax department is being misused to harass Shivakumar.
“If Shivakumar had committed any mistake, then legal action could have been taken against him. However, political vendetta is not on the part of the central government. The government should stop harassing him,” he demanded.

Reacting to the merger of 27 public sector banks to arrest an economic slowdown in the country, Siddaramaiah said the merger will not strengthen banks. It will neither reduce the NPAs nor increase lending activities. The centre has been interfering in the functioning of the banks. The Centre is also interfering the functioning of Reserve Bank of India, he alleged.

He said the GDP has declined. Growth in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 5 %. In reality, GDP growth is somewhere between 3.7 % to 4 %. When Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, the GDP had touched 8 %, he said.

Failure of the economic policies of PM Modi has put the country to hardship. The note ban and unscientific implementation of GST have forced investors to think twice on investment in the country, alleged Siddaramaiah.

He said several industries have announced lay off. The automobile sectors, textiles are in distress.